


traces of my ex lover

by blushingprince



Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Angst, Bathing/Washing, Canon Compliant, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Nostalgia, Pining, Post Timeskip, Psychological Trauma, Trauma, they are ex boyfriends
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-06
Updated: 2019-08-06
Packaged: 2020-08-10 21:51:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,476
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20142553
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/blushingprince/pseuds/blushingprince
Summary: after the timeskip, felix just wants to do something for dimitri





	traces of my ex lover

They had tracked him for five years. Five years. Five solid years of waiting, yearning, stolen information, and nothing. Not even a trace. Nobody even knew if he was still alive. Felix could only cling to the hope that he was alive, somewhere, somewhere safe. Five years of waiting and not even a trace of the prince. He was thought to be dead and they all prayed otherwise. 

Finally seeing him again, was one thing different. His heart lifted with small wings thinking that man might be alive. After all the years of scorn, he couldn’t deny he wanted to just behold him and know he was alive. He could feel the excitement rise in his chest as he slew one enemy after another.  _ Just let me get to my prince. _ They were at Garreg Mach Monastery after all these years and it was so different. Aghast with the ghosts of what he used to know. Of what used to be. Felix grabbed his sword and thrust harder. The Empire stole all of that from him and his friends. From Dimtri. The Empire stole it. 

And there he was, his prince, his dastardly self only a crucible of what he used to be; hair long and jagged, and eye patch suiting his face, and scars afront. But what really threw Felix off, was how his soul had fallen. Dimitri spoke and laughed like nothing truly mattered anymore and he only wanted Edelgard’s head. What had happened to him? Felix stared, mouth half agape. Was this the same boy he once knew? That he once shared stolen moments and kisses with? That he fought and sparred with? Was this his prince? Dimitri didn’t even see him. Dimitri didn’t see anyone. He only spoke of his need to kill. Felix clenched his sword’s hilt. How could this have happened? He knew Dimitri was always truly so bloodthirsty… but… he had fallen so low. He only wanted the Dimitri he knew back, as much as made fun of him. Please… come back. It was repulsive. 

They settled at the monastery at Felix watched him. Only watched. Dimitri seemed transfixed with his surroundings and spoke to no one. Felix couldn’t help but pity him. He really was a wild boar, after all, but he had fallen so low… couldn’t someone just fix him - make him go back to normal?

So Felix watched him. Kept watching. After all, he had nothing else to do if not train and he would deny it but he was worried. They had known each other since they were kids and Felix would at least agree he knew the boar the best of all. But Dimitri didn’t move from the same spot day after day. Didn’t seem to sleep after all. It vexed and worried Felix. He nearly wanted to shout at Dimitri as he was losing his patience. When was the last time he even bathed? 

Felix approached Dimitri cautiously. This wasn’t the same boar prince he once knew. 

“Hi,” Felix tried.

Nothing.

The next day, Felix felt pity and kept his watch. It hurt him to see Dimitri in this state at the same time. “Hi,” he tried again.

“Go away,” Dimitri mumbled,

“You can’t stay like this forever,” Felix went on.

“Not until I have  _ her head _ ,” Dimitri’s voice raised.

Felix sighed. Clearly, revenge was the only thing on Dimitri’s mind. He left, watching from the shadows and absorbed by guilt he didn’t quite understand.

The next day he took time in approaching Dimitri. What should he say? Why did he even care…...He should leave that craven man to himself….But he couldn’t not care. It was Dimitri. What should he even say? He wanted to help, but dammit, he wasn’t good at this kind of thing!

“Dimitri, do you remember when we were young?”

The prince looked surprised and glanced at Felix questionably. 

“What of it,” came out Dimitri’s dead tone.

“Sometimes I miss it,”

“The dead don’t come back,” Dimitri voiced coldly. 

_ Shit. Wrong thing to say. _ “I know…” Felix paused. “But you’re still alive.”

“No. I am a dead man.”

Felix was irritated. “No! We searched for you for all these years and goddammit you’re alive!”

Dimitri stared back blankly like Felix’s words didn’t make any sense. Felix wanted to yell at him again, but at the same time, it didn’t do anything. Taking out his anger on Dimitri would accomplish nothing. 

Felix continued to watch Dimitri and speak to him when he could over the next days but he grew increasingly irritated. Dimitri couldn’t seem to help himself and was stuck on the idea of revenge. Felix  _ wanted _ to help but he wasn’t sure he was the man for the job. He did miss Dimitri and have a desire to do something for him but he was fucking irritated. It was Mercedes who gave him the idea, to be quite honest.

_ I’m going to have to do everything, though. _

_ I can’t imagine the last time he bathed. _

Felix decided that he had made a decision and would carry it out. He asked someone to help him draw a bath and would only have to coerce Dimitri into it. As awkward as it was, he simply  _ needed _ to do something for Dimitri and couldn’t look at him be so pathetic in the corner anymore. 

He found Dimitri in the cathedral, like usual. Dimitri watched him this time, watched him approach him. Perhaps that was a good sign?

“Felix,”

“Dimitri,”

_ Damn, how should I say this…. _

“You know you can trust me, right?” Felix said.

“Trust? You?” Dimitri replied.

“Yea,”

“Why?” Dimitri’s eyes were glassy.

Felix blushed. Dimitri was obviously totally unaware - in his state there was no way he could be. “Because, damnit, I’ll protect you!” he shouted. “And before you say some dumb shit again, I’m talking about  _ you - _ not dead people,”

“But I am -”

Felix interrupted him. “No!  _ You’re _ who’s important right now.  _ And you’re not dead, boar _ .”

Dimitri sighed. A genuine sigh. “What do you need me for?”

“You’re gonna take a bath because you smell like shit and you’re gross,” Felix instructed. 

Dimitri didn’t reply. Felix started walking towards the baths and he simply followed.

The bathing quarters were a small walk away and people watched Dimitri follow Felix like a lost puppy with utmost curiosity. When they arrived, the bath was ready and drawn but Dimitri stared at the ground blankly. Felix groaned. He almost immediately yanked Dimitri’s large coat off and set it down. 

Dimitri very much looked like a small stray animal without his fur coat. It was almost cute. Almost. Felix pressed his hand to his forehead, realizing Dimitri was going to make no attempt to get undressed and he was going to have to figure out how to get this armor off. It wasn’t like he minded seeing him nude. But that was a thing of the past. 

Felix grumbled as Dimitri stood in the center of the room, completely useless, and he attempted to get off his armor. A couple of minutes later - and no help from Dimitri - and pieces of metal were clanging to the ground. Felix realized he had to get off the rest of the clothes underneath and this was suddenly a lot more intimate than he intended. He swallowed. Oh, well. He had made a promise to himself. 

“Can you not even take your own clothes off?” Felix quipped, very eager to start yelling but knowing he shouldn’t.  _ There’s so many scars though. What happened….What happened to you? _

At last Dimitri was ready to get into the tub. Felix filled it with bath soaps and led the very doll-like Dimitri into it. The water was hot but he knew the prince wouldn’t dislike it. Felix watched him carefully. He wasn’t washing himself. 

“C’mon!! Do I have to do everything?” Felix groaned. He approached the tub and decided he might as well wash Dimitri’s hair, seeing as it had so many knots. 

Felix carefully poured water over Dimitri’s hair and began to carefully scrub soap into it and untangle it. He massaged his scalp gently and it was such an intimate gesture Felix was surprised of himself. 

“Feels nice,” Dimitri mumbled.

_ That’s not fair. You’re not allowed to be cute. _

Felix continued to wash his hair and allowed Dimitri to sit in the hot water for as long as he pleased. He figured it would do him good. “I’m setting down some towels over here,” 

Dimitri turned in the tub, turned towards Felix completely, clean, and sort of half-smiled. “Thank you. I feel a bit better.”

Felix blushed. He’s really not allowed to be this attractive. “You should’ve done this a lot sooner.”

“Before… I had no one to watch my back. But you said you would protect me….right?”

Felix swallowed, hard. “Yea. Always,”

  
  
  
  
  


**Author's Note:**

> HOLY SHIT I LOVE THEM SO MUCH  
im not done with the game please don't spoil me


End file.
